Le Canelé D’or

04Jan2013

I had a very exciting delivery last month. After having spent the day between my bed and the sofa due to horrible sinus pains, the doorbell rang and I was presented with a little box of delicious-looking canelés hand-delivered from Le Canelé d’Or.

For those unsure what canelés are (as I was, I must admit), they are unique little cakes from the region of Bordeaux in France. We all know Bordeaux is famous for its wine, but having tasted these canelés, I think it also deserves some recognition for its cakes.

What’s special about these cakes is that somehow they manage to have a thick, hard, caramelised shell, yet at the same time an unexpected, almost custardy interior.

According to myth, canelés were created by nuns in a Bordeaux convent well before the French Revolution; local winemakers who used egg whites to clarify their red wines donated the yolks to these nuns, who used them to make a version of these scrumptious cakes.

Le Canelé d’Or was set up by French-born Florence Lamarlere and her husband. When Florence realised how difficult it was to find canelés in Hong Kong and how fun they were to make at home, she immediately saw a gap in the market, especially given how large the French population is in Hong Kong. They don’t have a physical shop in Hong Kong, but through a very easy to use website, you can order your sweet treats at the click of a button, whether you’re entertaining guests or simply feeling very indulgent. And as they offer free delivery to most places in Hong Kong at only 1-2 days’ notice, you can satisfy that sweet craving nice and quickly!

Although some argue that the traditional recipe of vanilla bean and rum should not be tampered with, Le Canelé d’Or have added their own unique flavours to the mix, including Mediterranean (orange liqueur and orange zest) and Irish (coffee and whiskey). I agree that the traditional version is delicious, but my personal favourite is the Mediterranean canelé, which is packed full of flavour and not at all too sweet. We tried them both hot and cold and frankly I can’t actually tell you which way I preferred them as both ways worked perfectly.

These delicious treats come in two sizes: grand size (6 for $150) or cocktail size (25 for $175) to serve any purpose. Paired with a cup of tea or a glass of cold milk, these cakes make the perfect breakfast, afternoon snack or even dessert. Although I told myself I would try and have a healthy January, I’m already trying to think of an excuse to put in my next order!